Clothes wringer



Dec, 30, 1924.

F. A. BARNES CLOTHES WRINGER Filed NOV. 17, 1922 Llllllr Inventor His 'Attrney Patented Dee. 3o, 1924.

UNITED STATES 4FREDERICK A. BARNES, OF CLEVELANI) HEIGHTS, O'HIO, ASSIGNOR TO FOOTE;

PATENT OFFICE.

BURT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CLOTHES WRINGER.

Application led November 17, 1922. Serial No. 601,664.

To all whom z't may concern:-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland Heights, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes Wringers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to clothes wringers such as are used in connection with .p

washing machines and particularly to 4powerdriven wringers although it is not necessarily limited thereto.

The object of my invention is to provide anV improved wringer which is simple in structure, convenient to use, can be manufactured at a low cost, and offers the maximum degree of safety for the operator, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and myrinvention, attention is directed to. the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is aside elevation, partly in section of a wringer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view thereof; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the drain board; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detail, and Fig. 5 is a detail plan view taken on line 5 5, Fig. 1, a part of the frame being brokenV away.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates the frame of the wringer which is made in two complementary halves 11 and 12 fastened together b suitable bolts, studs or rivets 13. The rame is split vertically on its longitudinal axis, each half of the frame comprising a side/ portion, an end portion which is one-half the entire end wall, and a top portion which is one-half the entire top wall. When the two frame halves are assembled, the end portions and top portions it against each other at their edges as indicated at 14 to Space the side walls apart. In the side portions of the frame are rectangular openings 15 through which the clothes are fed to the wringer rolls indicated at 16.. On the inner surface of the side walls of the wringer frame at the ends of the frame are formed opposed, verticallyyextending integral ribs 17 which serve to hold bearing blocks 18 for the shafts of the wringer rolls. The bearing blocks may be formed of wood or other suitable material and are provided with grooves 19 on opposite sides into which ribs 17 lit. Each block comprises a single piecevwith a hole bored in it to receive the shaft end. The frame is provided with pads or seats 20 at its -ends upon which the lower bearing blocks rest. Extending lengthwise of the wringer frame with its ends resting onv I handle 23 for turning it. Post 22 is threaded and lits in a threaded sleeve 24 having a longitudinally-extending rib 25 on one side and a stop lug 26 on the other side. Sleeve 24 is carried in a guide 27 formed integral with the wringer frame and its outer end extends through opening 22ll in the top of the wringer frame. Rib 25 lits in a notch in guide 27 and a similar notch in the top of the wringer frame and serves to keep sleeve 24 from turning while ermitting it to move vertically. Pivot in the side walls of the wringer frame as indicated at 28 is a lever arm 29 provided with a downwardly turned catch finger adapted bo engage the top of stop lug 26 to hold sleeve 24 from vertical movement. Lever arm 29 is biased to a position in which linger 30 engages lug 26 by a spring 31 supported by a platform 32 which may be formed integral with guide 27 and the side walls of the frame, and is provided with a yrecess 33 in which the spring is seated. Adjacent to the free end of lever arm 29 a pin 35 having a head on its inner en for engagement with arm 29 and a head on its outer end adapted to be struck by the hand of the operator. W'hen the parts are in the positions shown in the drawin sleeve 24 is held from vertical movement y lever arm 29 and the tension of spring 21 on the wringer rollscan be increased and decreased by screwing post 22 down and up. If it is desired to quickly release the tension on the wringer rolls it is only necessary to force pin 35 downward by pushing down on or striking the head on the end of the pin, thereby turning lever arm 29 so as to move finger 30 away from stop lug 26 thus releasing sleeve 24. Sleeve 24 and post 22 will then move upward together, relieving the pressure on spring 21. To reset the quick release mechanism it is only necessary to turn post 22 outwardly-projecting,

loff the ends of the sheds.

. through which a crank 47 extends.

in a direction to run sleeve 24 downward until spring 31 can force finger 30 over lug '26. Then 'the rolls ,can be vput under tension again by turning post 22 in the other direction.

At the lower edges` of openings the side walls of the frame are provided with downwardly-slopingv tables 36 overl which the clothes slide in passing to and from the wringer and beneath tables 36 are inwardly-projecting i downwardly-Slo ing drain plates 37, the inner edges of which are slightly spaced apart to provide a slot38 which extends the length of" the wringer rolls directly under the lower roll. At the bottom of the frame,

` the ends are provided with inwardly facing end pieces 44 are central vertical slots 46 Crank 47 has a straight central portion which eX- -positively by drain jboard shed 41 from w ence it will run back `which requires no tilting tends through the slots and angularly bent ends 48 which are pivoted in bearing openings 49 in the wringer frame. At one end crank 47 is provided with an operating handle 50 which may be made with .an arrow head to indicate the direction off wringing for which the drain board is adjusted. In Fig. 2 the drain board is positioned for wringing from left to right and it vwill be noted that ridge 43 stands beyond slot 38 as regards the direction of wringing. Water wrung from the clothes will be directed lates 37 onto drain into the tub out of which the clothes are being wrung. At this time drain board shed 42 forms a chute for the clothes onto which they aredirect'ed by table 36. To adjust the drain board for wringing in the opposite direction crank 47 is turned through an an-` gle of 180 in an anti-clockwise direction las seen in Fig. 2. This will slide the drain board toward the left a distance equal to the throw of crank 47 which vwill bring ridge 43 to the other side of slot 38.' In other words, to adjustthe drain board for wring ing in o posite directions requires only that it be sli j to move ridge 43 from one side of slot 38 to the other. This -makes a simple and advantageous drain. board arrangement of the board, is easily operated, and provldesa downwardly Eloping clothes. chute for the clothes after Madsen they have'passed through the wringer. By providing drain plates 37 for positively directing water tothe drain board, only a very short movement of the drain board is required. Ridge 43 prevents water spilling down the wrong side of the drain board. Preferably the arrangement is such that the crank 47 and handle 50 turn through an angle a little eater than 180 degrees in shifting the drain board from one position to the other. By this arrangement the crank moves somewhat beyond dead center so that it serves to lock the drain board in position for'wringing. lAlso the weight of the crank and the handle assist in locking the drain board.

The wringer rolls are geared together `by gear wheels 51 and the shaft of the lower roll projects beyond the gear wheel and has splined thereon sliding clutch member 52. Clutch member 52 is provided with teeth adapted to engage co-operating teeth ona clutch member 53 journaled in the end of the wringer frame. Clutch member. 52 is adapted to be moved into engagement with clutch member 53 by a lever 54 located inside the wringerframe and pivoted to it ,at 55. The one end of lever 54 is provided with a forked head 56 which straddles clutch member 52 and has pins-57 which engage in groove 58 in the clutch member. The o her end of lever 54 lies adjacent to the top wall of the wringer frame and projecting through an opening 59 in the top wall of the frame is a pin 60 having a head on its inner end which engages the end of the lever and a head on its outer end which serves as a handle. Clutch member 52 is biased to a position out of engagement with 'clutch member 53, i. e., to open position, by a spring 61 which rests in apocketV 62 in platform 32 and engages the underside of lever`54. By pushing down on pin 60, 1ever 54 is turned to bring clutch member 52 into engagement with clutch member 53, but

as' soon as this pressure is released, the clutch automatically flies open.

0n the outer end of clutch member 53 is a bevel gear wheel 63 and adapted to mesh therewith are two Yspaced bevel gear wheels 64 and 65 carried by a vertical driving shaft 66. `Shaft 66` is arranged to have a limited amount of vertical movement and has three positions, an intermediate or neutral position in which gear wheels 64 and 65 are both out of 'mesh with gear wheel 63, a lower position'in which gear wheel 64y is in mesh with gear wheel 63, and an upper position in which gear wheel is in mesh with gear wheel 63.' When gear wheel 64 meshes with gear wheel v63 the'rolls are driven in one'direction and when gear wheel 65 meshes therewith the rolls are driven inthe opyposite'direction. 'Shaft 66 is moved vertically to mesh and unmesh the gear wheels lll@ other from neutral position, either gear wheel 64 or 65 can be brought into mesh with gear wheel 63. In post 70 is an annular groove 73 which receives the end of a set screw 74 to hold the post from vertical movement. In the lower wall of groove 73 are suitable depressions 75 to receive the end of set screw 74, the post being forced upward toward the set screw by a spring 76 located beneath the post.l Depressions 75 are suitably located to stop handle 72 in neutral position and in its tw`o other positions wherein either gear wheel 64 or 65 is in mesh with gear wheel 63.

Drive shaft 66 may be driven in any suitable manner usually from the 'same motor which drives the washing machine, and when the wringer is in use it is driven continuously at a suitable speed. In use the operator startsl the motor or other driving means for shaft 66 and then turns handle 72 to bring gear wheel 64 or 65 into mesh with gear wheel 63 according to the direction in which it is desired to wring. This, however, does not start rolls 16 but only the clutch member 53. Now, when the operator wants to wrin an article, the operator presses down on pm 60 to turn lever 54 and bring clutch member 52 into engagement with clutch member 53. The wringer rolls are then driven and the article can be wrung. It will be seen that with this arrangement the operator is required to hold one hand continuously on pin y60 inorder to keep the clutch in and the rolls running. This means that the operator must continuously perform a conscious act. If the hand is removed, the clutch will immediately open and the rolls stop.. The arrangement is such that only a slight pressureonpin 60 is required to keep the clutch in-so as not to tire the operator. This clutch arrangement in combination with the quick release forthe rolls oEers the highest degree of safety for the operator. If theoperators free hand becomes caught in the rolls, the rolls will be instantly stopped by the removal of the other hand from pin 60, a thing which will be done unconsciously and the pressure on the rolls can be lthen 1nstantly released by striking pin 35. This arrangement offers a high degree of safety for the further reason that the rolls are only running when the operator desires to wring and has one hand on pin 60. When the operator is taking clothes from the tub using both hands, the wringer rolls are -tion Serial Number 734,563, filed.

stopped. This to a great extent does away i with the possibility of the operators hair getting caught in the rolls when bending over the tub. I regard this arrangement as one of the important features of my invention.

My improved wringer has also the advantages from a Structuralstandpoint that it is simple in structure, comprises a minimum of parts which are easily assembled, and can be built at a low cost. By splitting the frame on its vertical, longitudinal axis, the

parts which are located inside the frame can .be easily'put in place and all are held when the two parts of the lframe are fastened together. The bearing blocks for the wringer, rolls can be first mounted on the rolls and then the rolls with the blocks thereon placed No special pieces or within the frame. -Eartsare required for holding the bearing locks, ribs17 and pads 2O being integral parts of the frame. Furthermore, by splitting the frame in this manner it is an easy thing to cast tables 36 anddrain plates 37 as integral parts of the frame. n

Certain features disclosed in this specification are not claimed herein as they form the subject matter of my divisional a plica- In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apthe invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

1f. In a clothes wringer, the combination ugust' vparatus shown is only illustrative and that of a wrin er frame, walls carried by the frame whlch dene a drain slot, drain board comprising two downwardly and. oppositely sloping water sheds and an end piece connecting `them, said end piece being provided with a vertical slot, projections on the frame upon which said drain board slides, to bring either of its water sheds under said drain slot, and a crank which extendsA through said vertical slot 'and is journaled in the frame, said crank when turned engaging the side walls of said slot to veffect a sliding movement of the` drain board. v

2. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a wringer frame, -walls carried by the frame which define a drainslot, a drain board comprising Atwo downwardly and oppositely sloping water sheds and an end piece connecting them, said end piece being provided with a vertical slot, projections on the frame upon which such drain board liao under said drain slot, and a'crank which extends through said -vertical slot and is journaled in the frame, said crank when turned engaging the side walls of said slotto eil'ect a sliding movemento the drain hoard, and said slot being of a length such that theY crank moves through an angle greater than 180 degrees whereby it serves as a lock for the drain board.

3. In a clothes wringer, the combination of a frame having inwardly projecting ledges, a drain board comprising end walls with straight lower edges which slide on iaoee ing a throw equal to the amount which it is desired to slide the drain board and said slots having 'a vertical length such that the crank can be turned to slide the drain board without lifting it o said ledges.

ln witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day ofl November, 1922.,

FREDERICK A. Bananas 

